Search goes on for Theys' missing driver<\/p>\n
R.K. Nugroho, The Jakarta Post, Jayapura<\/p>\n
Aristoteles Masako, who witnessed the kidnapping of his former
\nemployer, Papuan independence leader Theys Hiyo Eluway, is still
\nmissing. Police in Irian Jaya have been unable to locate the
\nformer driver of Theys, who disappeared on the night of the
\nalleged kidnapping.<\/p>\n
Local police admitted that they had been unable to locate
\nAristoteles soon after a police team returned from Papua New
\nGuinea on Thursday. Police had conducted a search for him in the
\nborder area between the two countries.<\/p>\n
In less than a month, Irian Jaya Provincial Police chief Insp.
\nGen. I Made Mangku Pastika made two contradictory statements
\nabout the police investigation into the case.<\/p>\n
A few days after Theys' funeral, Pastika said the police had
\nmade headway in unraveling the story behind Theys' murder after a
\nnumber of witnesses were questioned. On Thursday, however,
\nPastika indicated that the police were experiencing difficulties
\nin the investigation.<\/p>\n
\"The police will continue to work hard to investigate the case
\nand search for Aristoteles until either he is found or his body
\nrecovered,\" he said when hosting a gathering to break the fast at
\nhis official residence here on Thursday.<\/p>\n
Theys was found dead in his Kijang van in Koya Tengah, Muara
\nTami subdistrict near the border of Irian Jaya and Papua New
\nGuinea on Nov. 11, 2001. On the evening of Nov. 10, Aristoteles
\ndrove Theys home after attending a celebration of Heroes' Day at
\nthe Army's Special Force headquarters in Jayapura.<\/p>\n
From the Entrop area in the town where the abduction occurred,
\nAristoteles made contact with Theys' wife Yaneke Ohee by cellular
\nphone to inform her about the abduction, after which he made no
\nfurther contact and disappeared.<\/p>\n
The Papuan Presidium Council (PDP) and the provincial
\nlegislature have urged an independent and thorough investigation
\ninto the case with the involvement of foreign parties.<\/p>\n
Pastika asserted that the testimony of witnesses was
\ninsufficient to solve the case and that the forensic report,
\nexpert' opinion as well as the suspected abductors were all
\ncritical to the investigation.<\/p>\n
He also said recently that the police could not, according to
\nthe law, interrogate any servicemen allegedly involved in the
\ncase.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Bambang Soeharto and Koesparmono Irsan, members of
\nthe National Commission on Human Rights, have returned to Jakarta
\nafter conducting a preliminary investigation into the case.<\/p>\n
During their four-day stay in the province, the commission's
\ndelegation met with local officials and inspected the area where
\nTheys was found dead.<\/p>\n
They also met three witnesses who saw unidentified men
\nescorting Aristoteles in the Hamadi housing complex in Jayapura,
\nhours after Theys was abducted.<\/p>\n
\"A national effort is needed to uncover who is behind the
\nabduction,\" Bambang Soeharto told The Jakarta Post moments before
\nleaving for Jakarta on Thursday.<\/p>\n
He said they would bring their findings to the commission's
\nplenary session to decide what further actions needed to be
\ncarried out to ensure an objective investigation into the case.<\/p>",
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